The Race
The Mugello course is not a flat valley loop. The first 24 km stay between 175 and 215 m, then the route climbs about 118 m over 6.7 km (1.8%) to a high point of 324 m near Scarperia at 31.6 km. A 5 km descent of about 107 m closes the race. The organiser publishes no elevation profile or gain figure.
| Next Race Date | To be announced |
|---|---|
| Course type | Loop (start and finish in Piazza Dante, Borgo San Lorenzo) |
| Registration | Open entry via the organiser and ENDU; 2027 terms not yet published |
| Ballot opens | Not applicable |
| Start | Piazza Dante, Borgo San Lorenzo, 09:15 (2026) |
| Finish | Piazza Dante, Borgo San Lorenzo |
| Avg race-day temp | Not confirmed |
| Cutoff time | 6 hours 30 minutes (2026 rules) |
| Free race-day transport | Not confirmed |
| Course certification | FIDAL Type A, 42.195 km (2026). No World Athletics Label |
History
The organiser calls the Maratona del Mugello Italy's oldest marathon. The 52nd edition was held on 27 September 2026, and the organiser's archive of classifications goes back to 1974. The race was historically held on a Saturday afternoon and now starts on a Sunday at 09:15. A half marathon was added in 2019 and runs alongside the full distance.
The organiser says it renewed the route to show more of the valley, so older results may relate to a different course. FIDAL's post-race report says more than 850 marathoners started in 2026, and names Samuele Oskar Cassi and Cindy Diletta Santini Rodriguez as the winners. That is a provisional federation report. Validated finisher counts, winning times and course records have not been published.
The course
The 2026 marathon started and finished in Piazza Dante in Borgo San Lorenzo, with the half marathon starting at the same time, 09:15. The certified loop went east on the SP551 to Vicchio and through Ponte a Vicchio, came back via the SP41 at Sagginale, then used the SR302 at Serravalle and the SP97 at Cardetole to San Piero a Sieve. It continued on the SP503 towards Scarperia, along the SP42 on Via Buozzi beside the Mugello Circuit, through Luco di Mugello and back to Borgo San Lorenzo.
A continuous green stripe marked the road. Traffic was only partly closed or limited where possible, so road-code obligations continued in places.
Kilometre by kilometre
The route follows the town sequence of the 2026 route description. The organiser publishes no kilometre breakdown, so treat every position as approximate.
Km 0 to 10: east to Vicchio. The race leaves Piazza Dante and heads east, reaching the SP551 at 3 km and Vicchio at 4 km, level at about 190 m. The route runs through the streets of Vicchio at 6 to 9 km, its eastern end, and falls to 175 m at 9.4 km, the low point of the course. The half marathon shares the opening, so the first kilometres are busy.
Km 10 to 24: back through Sagginale and on to San Piero. The route turns west on the SP41 at 10 to 16 km, still on flat ground near 180 to 195 m, and comes within about 1.2 km of the start at 17 km on the SR302. It follows the SR302 and the SP97 at 17 to 22 km, rising about 28 m over 7 km (0.4%) from 17 km, through Cardetole at 22 km to San Piero a Sieve at 23 and 24 km, the western end of the loop at about 216 m.
Km 24 to 34: the climb. North of San Piero a Sieve the road climbs by the SP551 and the road towards the Passo del Giogo at 25 to 27 km, then the SP503 at 28 and 29 km, steepest at about 2.9% from 28 km. The route climbs about 118 m over 6.7 km (1.8%) from 24.9 km to its high point of 324 m at 31.6 km, passing through Scarperia on Via Roma and Viale Dante at 30 and 31 km. It then drops 71 m over the next 2.8 km along Via dell'Autodromo beside the Mugello Circuit at 32 and 33 km. This is the hard part of the day, and the organiser's own description does not mention it.
Km 34 to 42.2: Luco and the finish. The route rises again about 48 m over 2.8 km along Via Bruno Buozzi and the SP42 at 34 to 37 km, to 299 m at Luco Campagna, then falls about 107 m over 5 km (2.1%) through Luco di Mugello and Via Le Pergole at 38 to 41 km, back to Piazza Dante at 194 m. The descent is steady, so quad-heavy runners will feel it.
The route was only partly closed to traffic in 2026, so follow the green line and the road code.
Level road east along the SP551 at about 190 m, shared with the half marathon field.
West on the SP41, the SR302 and the SP97 to San Piero a Sieve, a gentle 28 m rise.
118 m over 6.7 km to 324 m near Scarperia, then a drop beside the Mugello Circuit.
Another 48 m rise to Luco, then a 107 m descent to Piazza Dante.
Course Map
Tap a marker for the start and finish and the places on the loop, and scrub the slider or press play to move the orange marker along the course with the elevation profile beneath it.
Pacers
Official pacers were used in 2026, per article 7 of the rules. These are the 2026 groups, and the 2027 service is unconfirmed. Paces are computed from 42.195 km.
| Finish time | Flag colour | Pace per km |
|---|---|---|
| 3:30 | Light blue | 4:59 |
| 3:45 | Orange | 5:20 |
| 4:00 | Pink | 5:41 |
| 4:15 | White | 6:03 |
| 4:30 | Blue | 6:24 |
| 5:00 | Purple | 7:07 |
The 2026 gun was at 09:15 in late September. No sourced average temperature is available, so check the forecast in the week before.
Late September in Tuscany can be warm by midday, so a cap, sunscreen and light kit suit slower runners. A throwaway layer helps in the 07:00 assembly and before the start. The organiser provides a guarded bag deposit, but the changing room is not guarded, so leave valuables at the hotel. Road shoes are fine for the asphalt.
Entry
The 2027 registration and prices are not yet published. The 2026 marathon fee rose by band through the year (table below). Sterling figures are before ENDU charges and use the ECB reference rate of €1 to £0.858 (28 September 2026).
In 2026, competitive entrants had to be 20 or over and hold one of the following: an Italian FIDAL membership, a RunCard or an EPS RunCard with an athletics-specific competitive medical certificate, or overseas membership of a federation affiliated to World Athletics with a declaration signed at bib collection. A non-resident RunCard holder could bring a home-country certificate only with the Italian-equivalent tests (examination, urine test, resting and exertion ECG, and spirometry), in original, signed and stamped.
A non-competitive entry exists for foreign runners without membership. It is a tourist-sporting entry with a liability waiver. The result is listed alphabetically with no competitive place or prizes, and the rules set 18 as the age for this track. Upload paperwork to ENDU or email it in time, and show the originals on site.
In 2026 there was no refund for non-attendance. A one-edition deferral had to be requested at least seven days before the race, with €10 of paperwork the following year, and a transfer to another runner had to be made by 14 September. None of this can be assumed for 2027. There is no ballot or guaranteed entry route.
| Registration window (2026) | Marathon fee |
|---|---|
| To 31 January | €25 (about £21) |
| February | €30 (about £26) |
| March to June | €36 (about £31) |
| July and August | €42 (about £36) |
| 1 to 24 September | €50 (about £43) |
| At the expo | €58 (about £50) |
Fast runner standards
There is no guaranteed-entry or qualifying standard.
Maratona del Mugello: official site →Race Weekend
Bib collection in Piazza Dante
In 2026, bibs were collected in Piazza Dante on Saturday 26 September from 14:30 to 18:30 and on Sunday from 07:00, with in-person late registration closing at 08:30. One entry page says pickup until 09:00, while the rules expect early arrival before the 09:15 gun, so treat 08:30 as the safe limit. No 2027 date or venue is confirmed.
Bring certificate and affiliation documents, or the formal proxy form for third-party collection. The race pack lists local organic products.
Getting to the start
The following is the 2026 pattern, which must be reconfirmed. Runners assemble in Piazza Dante at 07:00, late bib collection and registration run until 08:30 and the marathon and half marathon start together at 09:15. The cutoff is 6 hours 30 minutes, about 15:45.
The organiser provides a guarded bag deposit, but the changing room is not guarded. Showers are about 600 m away at the municipal service centre, with a shuttle behind the finish.
If you are staying in Florence, check the actual early Sunday train to Borgo San Lorenzo and the transfer to Piazza Dante. Do not assume commuter frequencies. A room in central Borgo San Lorenzo is the safer base for an A-race.
Nutrition on course
The organiser promises many volunteer-led refreshment points and medical assistance. A kilometre-by-kilometre list, drink and gel brands and the 2027 aid map were not found.
Runners may carry their own fluids and solids, and should drop bottles and cups at collection points near the stations.
Spectating
The simplest sighting is Piazza Dante, where the race starts and finishes. Other sightings on the loop depend on the road controls, because the route was only partly closed in 2026. The 2027 intercept points were not found.
- Stay in Piazza Dante for the start and the finish
- The cutoff is 6 hours 30 minutes
- See the start
- Reach the Vicchio sector by a route clear of runners
- Return to Borgo San Lorenzo for the finish; closures and timings need checking
- See the late course at San Piero a Sieve or Scarperia
- Return by a road clear of runners
- Confirm access on the day
Post-race food
The rules list finish refreshments, and the race pack includes local organic products. Named restaurants in Borgo San Lorenzo with Sunday hours were not found. Reserve after the next date is confirmed.
Where to Stay
Start and finish are in the same square, so the finish-first and start-first answers agree: stay in Borgo San Lorenzo.
Borgo San Lorenzo centre
The best base, walkable to Piazza Dante, with bib collection and the finish in the same place.
Vicchio and Scarperia
Both are on or near the course, but need an early transfer to the start.
San Piero a Sieve
A small town on the western side of the loop. Needs a transfer to the start.
Florence
A broad supply of rooms, but Sunday rail and last-mile timing need explicit checking. A rail link to Borgo San Lorenzo exists; confirm the early Sunday times.
A car helps explore the valley, but course controls can block roads.
Booking timeline
Wait for the official 2027 date before booking non-refundable travel. Watch the organiser's news page, and hold a refundable room in Borgo San Lorenzo if travel is likely. Once the date is published, reconcile entry and medical documents with the new regulation.
See & Do
The first stop is on the finish square. The other two are on the course.
Borgo San Lorenzo centre
The town centre is the start and finish area. Check opening hours for churches and shops.
Vicchio
The first town on the course, reached by road. Check opening hours for any museum.
Scarperia and the Mugello Circuit
The late-course town beside the motor-racing circuit. Check the circuit's calendar, since race weekends close roads.
After the Race
Recovery days start on the Monday after a Sunday race. Stay in the valley by car or local bus, or take a train to Florence or on to Bologna.
Two towns of the late course, seen at walking pace, with the Mugello Circuit on the edge of Scarperia.
The first town of the course, on the road east of Borgo San Lorenzo, at a slower pace.
One night in Florence before a flight, with a flat central walk.
Two nights in Bologna, with arcades for shelter and a flat central walk.